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One size doesn’t fit all…How to get the right fit for your staff uniforms

Here at Creative Emporium we strongly believe that a successful fitting and measuring service can benefit our clients. Part of the package we offer as a uniform provider is a comprehensive sizing service. This post is aimed at those of you who have been set the challenge of kitting out staff for the “roll out” of new uniforms. This article will give you an overview of the benefits of conducting a sizing exercise, what to expect and how to prepare in order to maximise the time you have allocated for this.

For new starters, store/site openings and uniform rebrands there are two main options for ensuring you get the best fitting garments for your staff;

1. Using a sizing set

This option involves purchasing a set of your uniform range that staff and new starters can try on when it is convenient to both them and you. It’s always a good idea to label these up so that they don’t go “walkies” or to order garments in a different colour. That way you remove the temptation of calling upon the garments in your sizing set where a new starter’s uniform may not have arrived in time for their start date.

Sizing sets are best utilised

Where there are high numbers of staff

Staff are located on multiple sites

For shift workers

Where staff turnover is high

It may not be manageable to organise and conduct onsite sizing for instance for large amounts of shift workers, across multiple sites. You have to be realistic with timing and what is achievable depending on the size of your uniform range and staff levels.

2. Onsite sizing exercise

This involves uniform experts from Creative Emporium coming on site, occasionally accompanied by a representative from the manufacturer, to fit staff in the correct sizes. With the sizing set delivered ahead of time. Planning ahead is essential for this type of sizing.

Onsite sizing is best utilised

For smaller numbers of staff

Staff are based in the same location

For tailored garments – as there is less room for error on sizing and ill-fitting or wrongly ordered garments can be uncomfortable to the wearer and also costly

When minor alterations are likely e.g. trouser leg shortening

The reason that onsite sizing exercises are more effective for smaller numbers is that they can be time consuming. These usually have to be conducted in one day or on consecutive days with staff being fitted one after another, as opposed to a sizing set where staff can try on at their leisure.

How to prepare for an onsite sizing day

Have an appropriate space available with somewhere your wearers can try on comfortably and in private – nearby toilets or a room divider

Have a mirror available

Allow space for a clothing rail to be assembled

Ensure you have a set garment allocation per person ahead of time so that all garments can be logged on a pre prepared order form which details all options of the range and how many each part time, full time, female and male members of staff are allowed.

Following this kind of onsite sizing exercise, filled out order forms are taken away by Creative Emporium, with the wearers name and sizes which are then subsequently ordered and delivered in individual man pack. It’s as easy as that!

One of the key benefits of conducting the above fitting methods is to eliminate the need for management to ask people sizes. Some people are reserved about revealing their sizes and sometimes this can lead to wearers under or overestimating their sizes, which in turn costs you money.

By taking the time to conduct some sort of sizing exercise and achieving the correct size, you are minimising costs, your admin time for organising the returns, your carriage costs back to the supplier and time chasing the credit. In some cases returns may not even be an option, for instance if you have ordered branded goods which the supplier won’t accept back, meaning you have to then find somewhere to hold the excess stock…But most of all you will have comfortable staff who are proud to wear their uniform as you have taken the time to ensure it fits them correctly.